linux-kernel - Re: GPL only modules [was Re: [GIT PATCH] more Driver core patches for 2.6.19]

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Message-ID: <20061217030652.GC10316@stusta.de>
Date:	Sun, 17 Dec 2006 04:06:52 +0100
From:	Adrian Bunk <bunk@...sta.de>
To:	Dave Jones <davej@...hat.com>, Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...l.org>,
	Willy Tarreau <w@....eu>, karderio <karderio@...il.com>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: GPL only modules [was Re: [GIT PATCH] more Driver core patches for 2.6.19]

On Sun, Dec 17, 2006 at 02:56:09AM +0100, Adrian Bunk wrote:
>...
> Otherwise, it seems to be highly unlikely that anyone will want to sue a 
> company that is often located in a different country, and the only 
> possible legal action will be cease and desist letters against people 
> who are infriding the copyright by e.g. selling Linux distributions 
> containing fglrx at Ebay or operating Debian ftp mirrors. That sounds 
> highly unfair, but unfortunately it also seems to be the only effective 
> way for someone without a big wallet to effectively act against such 
> licence violations...

To avoid any misunderstandings:

I do not want to threaten anyone, and I do not plan to do such legal 
actions myself.

My point is simply that whoever considers this grey area a good thing 
and wants to leave clarifications to the lawyers should be aware that 
e.g. in the fglrx and nvidia cases it's quite possible that the target 
of legal actions might not be AMD but e.g. the Technical University of 
Dresden that is distributing the offending code in Germany [1].

cu
Adrian

[1] by operating ftp.de.debian.org

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed

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